Guilty Bits Xrd: Raven

Raven uses his far reaching normals and needle projectiles to harass the opponent and look for knockdowns, which allow him to start okizeme loops using his unique glide and orb projectile. While he starts the round as a low damage character, he can improve his moves and gain new combo routes by charging his Excitement meter.

1. Neutral: Pokes, Space control, far range converting

Give it to me HERE (214K) : This unique stance can turn Raven into a major threat when utilized to its fullest in Rev2. While active, it charges the Excitement gauge, and even more so when it absorbs the opponent’s normals and specials, at the cost of recoverable health. Each attack fills his Excitement Gauge up to 10 ticks. For each tick gained, you gain 3% more damage, at 3 ticks the face icon will change and you will be at what I call Excitement level 2; at level 2 Raven is able to combo off of both versions of Wachen Zweig with relatively fast normals like 5K or 2S. At Excitement level 3 the face icon changes again and Wachen Zweig becomes an extremely dangerous threat dealing significantly more damage and netting him more untechable time to confirm with 5HS. Give it to he HERE also increases the hits and damage of both Overdrives. While other specials also gain Excitement in Rev2, this stance is still the main way to fill the gauge.

5P – Deceptively fast for the range it provides and an occasionally good anti air as well. Use to keep the opponent honest with their ground approach. Combos into f.S and is jump cancellable.

f.S – Has a lot of the same utility and use as 5P isn’t a bad thing. Check the opponent with this on the ground at a safe distance. If they’re crouching you can combo into 2H>236S at nearly every range.

2S- A somewhat lackluster normal at face value, but provides a faster poke option aside from the slower 2H that can be sparingly used to low-profile some attacks. Combos into 2H on crouching hit.

5H – Another normal on the slower side, but benefits from having many active frames and two hits. 5H has some value in a good poking tool and situational Anti-Air. Combos into 236S from all ranges.

2H – One of the most valuable low-profile and heavy hitting normals in the game, 2H has extreme range and although very slow on the recovery is almost a constant threat for standing enemies. On hit or block, continue into 2D or 236S.

Schmerz Berg (236P) – Raven’s needle projectile is crucial for the neutral stage. Its utility lies not in doing damage but in the slowing effect it produces on hit. After being caught, all horizontal and vertical movements are reduced by a staggering 50% for 1.5 seconds, giving Raven a very low mobility target to harass. It can be extremely valuable to YRC this projectile to frame trap the opponent, or just to safely reset pressure. The duration of the slowing effect increases by about 1 second at Excitement levels 2 and 3.

Gebraeuchlich Licht (j.236K/P) – The air versions of the needle, having more or less the same uses at different and more specific angles. Good at harassing the opponent from full screen at more varied angles to prevent their approach.

Grausam Impuls (236S) [air ok] – Also simply known as “scratch” is a long reaching and extremely difficult to punish special that is ravens go-to combo ender at any range where he can’t simply sweep and orb set. In Rev2 it grants 1 stack of excitement on hit, and at higher excitement levels has slightly faster startup, enabling new combo routes.

S Wachen Zweig (63214S) – More of an honorable mention than a valued spacing tool. It’s sometimes important for keeping the opponent honest is by removing an air approach option altogether. Both this and the grounded version are very slow on startup but with some foresight they can net raven big damage and a hard knockdown to start his pressure again. Its damage increases and new combo routes open at Excitement levels 2 and 3. In Rev2 it grants 3 stacks of Excitement on hit.

H Wachen Zweig (63214H) – Following the same idea as the anti-air version, this can be a way of checking the opponent from brazenly running in on you, though requires a lot of risk as it is extremely slow and the grab hitbox is only located around his hand. Should the opponent close the gap, ravens arm is a safe zone and expect a very hard punish. The damage increases and new combo routes open at Excitement levels 2 and 3. In Rev2 it grants 3 stacks of Excitement on hit.

2. Offense: Pressure, close range converting, mixups and okizeme

c.S – Raven’s most valuable normal when up close. Sporting a comfy +2 and being his only plus frame normal (surprising, I know), this is the go-to combo filler after a glide and air series. It’s fast enough to serve its purpose very well, and those two frames can keep an opponent unsure. On hit, the fastest route into 2D is advisable so you can setup the orb vortex as quickly as possible.

Scharf Kugel (236H) [air ok] – After any hard knockdown (2D being the most prominent choice) you can immediately setup the orb and apply mixups utilizing varied glide options. In Rev2 the orb’s number of hits is directly tied to Raven’s current Excitement level:
[Lv. 1=2 hits, Lv. 2=3 hits, Lv. 3=4 hits.]
Because of this, Raven needs to hoard some Excitement before going for orb okizeme mixups.

While the opponents are blocking the orb, you can to approach them in any way you so choose. Here are just a few examples:

2D>236H — jump>glide>jS>jA>j.S>X

2D>236H — jump>glide>jS>jH>X

2D>236H — jump>glide>late jH>X

2D>236H — dash in>2K>X
2D>236H — dash in>2K>5D>X

2D>236H — dash in>pause>63214H/S

Many more alternative options exist beyond these. This simple yet effective setup is further bolstered by understanding how to cancel Raven’s glide into overhead feints, then going low with 2K or 2D, or actually even connecting with the overhead hit of the glide itself, then cancelling the glide to cease his momentum and follow up with a low.

This graph was made by keeponrock.in (@gg_keeponrockin) and provides a visual aid in understanding how and when to cancel the glide before it’s too late and Raven remains parallel to the ground.

6P – A very impressive hitbox for an anti-air and also sporting upper body invulnerability, but suffers from being a bit on the slow side in terms of startup and recovery.

5K – Raven’s 5K is quite suitable as an anti-air, faster than 6P but lacking head invulnerability.

4P – Raven’s fastest normal, and literally mashable. Very low damage but with 5f startup, it can potentially get him out of certain situations or out-speed slower normals in tight spots.

Getreuer (214214H/D) – Raven’s only invincible reversal is quite effective as an anti-crossup with a surprisingly vertical hitbox. Very punishable on block. Damage increases cumulatively with Excitement levels as well, and can be a very devastating comeback tool at level 3. In Rev2 it empties the excitement gauge after use.

Faultless defense is a great help to keep opponents out.

Give it to me HERE (214K) – Sometimes it allows you to recover faster than if you’d block normally, which can be very useful against specific attack patterns, and it becomes even better when you can YRC out of it.

Verzweifelt (632146 S) [air ok] – Fairly fast but not an actual reversal in utility, this super is however completely projectile invincible and will travel all the way across the screen before raven stops and poses. Deals fair damage that increases cumulatively with Excitement. It Rev2 it grants 5 stacks of excitement on hit.

4. Meter Usage Priorities

Raven isn’t a particularly meter-expensive character, but he greatly benefits from YRC needle to reset his pressure safely in addition to some advanced ball setups and high level reads. The next priority is utilizing Give it to me HERE to punish your opponents during their own attacks by YRC’ing out of the stance after you’ve been hit to begin your counterplay. The last meter usage priority falls into Faultless Defense, as Raven has no true meterless reversal, so pushing aggressive opponents into Raven’s comfort-zone at mid-range is extremely ideal for normals like 2H and 5S.